Marked Men
by Writer Worrall
Summary: The war is over. Snape and Lupin are coping in different ways, but what will manage to get them past that ageold rivalry? Innocence is something only children can truly achieve... Sorry On HAITUS, possibly abandoned.


A/N: I would just like to say a huge thanks to McDooglefox who has beta'd this for me. Instead of ripping apart my confidence as I fully expected him to, he gave me confidence in what I had written and made some very insightful corrections. You rock!  
This is also an experimental style. Please bear with it! Most chapters will be written with a more normal technique just so as you know. Thank you for taking the time to read it!

Disclaimer: JK is my goddess. I follow her faithfully, even if I do occasionally have her characters commit sins in my writing ;). The world is hers and we all love her for it. I'm simply having a little play. I make neither money nor anything else from this with the exception of the pleasure of writing and possible reviews. No copyright infringement intended!

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Prologue: This Author's Babble of a Beginning

A story can start in many ways. Some may begin with eloquent descriptions of the setting in which the tale unfolds. Others might give the reader a memory or a carefully worded description of a character. There are even those which take the form and appearance of an official document with the characters story disguised as a statement of what we are lead to be absolute fact, as opposed to the authors descriptions and opinions. Whilst others may start with speech, or plunge you into the middle of a high action scene. Even a concept of life could be used in some cases. Such a variety of mediums in which to begin a fiction , and yet this author finds herself pondering how best to begin with this tale. The problem is deciding where it all began, for Severus Snape and Remus Lupin that is.

Did it start when they met on the Hogwarts express?, both barely affording the other a glance. Or maybe it was the first time the Marauders and Severus crossed paths? In which adolescents' war was given life too, Remus watching quietly from the background? The many encounters the two declared enemies had alone where no swords where drawn but a mixture of awkward and biting words where exchanged? Perhaps that night, so many years ago now, that Severus took the mark of his first master upon his arm, unaware of the problems it would cause him? Even the year that Remus returned to his old sanctuary to teach? Or that full moon during which a potion was forgotten, whilst Sirius Black was discovered?

Any one of these could be used, and more. However this author is confident that the fanfiction readers will be well read enough to have the capability of using their imaginations to fill in the gaps of these points. Perhaps the characters will find themselves immersed within flash backs, which will give their younger histories together further detail, she has yet to decide. With this in mind she hopes be able to create a moving and immersing fiction, in which the readers have some decision about the events leading up to this, adding a vivid backdrop, each to own readers tastes.

For now she will begin a few weeks after the war is won to The Light. The-Boy-Who-Lived-Time-And-Time-Again is still, as his title would suggest, alive and victorious, along with the rest of the dream team, and surprisingly, all of the DA. Order of the Phoenix members have dwindled, such losses were unavoidable, but there numbers remain strong enough to help capture the remaining death eaters, and they are keeping morale up in memory of those who died.

Pensive stored memories that Dumbledore left behind him were brought to Severus' trial by Minerva McGonagall and along with witnesses of him turning against Tom Riddle in The Final Battle, Severus was cleared of all charges. He now lives in a cottage some where in the country, where he refuses point blank to be employed once more Hogwarts potions master. He makes a small living tending to his herb gardens, green houses, running an apothecary and making complicated potions that he sells to a variety of rather anonymous customers.

Remus, on the other hand, is still very much in contact with the order, as well as Harry and company. This is more for their benefit, however, than his own. He continues to wear the mask; a façade of politeness, behind which he conceals the healing that is slowly taking place on his broken heart. He fills his days with the work of a Hogwarts defence against the dark arts teacher; the passing on of knowledge to children does lighten his heart somewhat. That the have a brighter future to look forward to than any one else for several generations had had makes him both proud to have been one of the ones to fight for it, and bitter at the miss of an opportunity for himself. It is during these indulgences of self pity that he conveniently forgets that he is a werewolf, and his future would never have been as bright as theirs, dark lord or not.

But no secret of defence to be shared, nor peacefully simmering potion could make either man forget the other. No amount of self-denial could prevent the invasion of thoughts centred around their shared past. And while ignorance is bliss, so can be love, when it is truly recognised.

And so this author finds a place for her story to truly start. The beginning of the summer holidays will find the potions mistress ill, and the headmistress requesting Remus to make the errand of collecting the schools ingredients.

A/N: Well. That's the first prologue of my first fanfic. I know lots of people ask others to be gentle with reviews when it's their first one, but I won't. I'm open to all concrit, what I'd really appreciate however is to not just be told what I'm doing wrong, but the actual way I can improve. Chances are I'll already know half of the stuff wrong with it that you point out but am just unsure as to how to correct it! Thanks for reading.


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